The Jewel of Cuarta
by akibono
Summary: Captain Varo Huska is coming to take Redwall's supposed treasures. Meanwhile, Marc, a brave young mouse, goes on a quest to recover the ancient Jewel of Cuarta... and, with it, the legendary blade of Martin the Warrior. Read and Review! Ch 4 UP!
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

Varo Huska balanced on the prow of his mighty ship, the _Gutted Eagle_. The fox was oblivious to the blinding rain. All he could see was his quarry, a merchant ship by the name of _Diamond Queen_. Varo smiled cruelly. At last he was catching up.

The _Queen_ had managed to outsail Valo's _Eagle_ for the past two days, riding on the high winds. However, the merchants daren't spread their sails in this horrendous storm. But Varo was no chicken. All canvas was strapped up, and the oarslaves were being forced to row at double-speed. Varo did not care if the slaves died; when they caught up with the _Queen_, there would be plenty fresh replacements.

A rat by the name of Limptail cowered in the swaying crow's nest. How the captain expected him to see anything through this storm he didn't know, but he did know that to disobey was to die. He clung to the railing for his life and shut his eyes tight as thunder split the sky in two. He did not hear the captain clamber up into the nest with him.

"Having a nice nap?" Varo asked him coldly.

Limptail's blood froze. He turned to the fox and stuttered, "N-no, captain, sir, I mean, yes, or…" he trailed off. Varo looked at him in disgust, but continued,

"Get down from here and arm yourself. We're going to board the _Queen_."

Limptail saluted and climbed down as fast as he could.

Aboard the _Diamond Queen_, things were really looking down. The grim faced crew armed themselves with what few weapons they had, and watched as the _Gutted Eagle _drew nearer. However, their captain, a mouse by the name of Roran, had a few tricks up his sleeves.

"Don't worry, mates!" he called out encouragingly from his spot at the tiller. "I have a plan!"

The assembled mice looked up at him hopefully. Roran continued, "They will be coming on too fast to get their grappling hooks caught right away. So, we need to take advantage of that…" The crew began to smile as Roran outlined his plan.

Varo walked up and down the deck, yelling at his corsair crew. "I want every one of you to grapple on! Anyone that I see staying behind will taste my blade!" He drew his long scimitar for emphasis as he continued, "Once we've boarded, it will be an easy battle! These aren't fighters; they're _merchants_! If they resist, kill them! Otherwise, take them captive as oarslaves!" The rats, ferrets, and stoats of the _Gutted Eagle_ grinned wickedly.

The _Eagle _was now merely a shipslength behind the _Queen_. Vermin crowded the pirate galley's prow, armed to the teeth and swinging grappling hooks. Varo smiled grimly. He was looking forward to killing their captain; he who had dared to outrace the Scourge of the Seas… Captain Varo Huska!


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2

The _Gutted Eagle _continued at its breakneck pace. It was soon drawing up alongside the _Diamond Queen_. The searats hurled their grappling hooks at the merchant ship, yelling the most inappropriate phrases when the hooks were whipped out of their hands.

Captain Varo Huska watched the problem with eyes that burned like fire. He had been outsmarted! They would need to slow down if they wanted their grappling hooks to catch. He began hollering at his crew.

"C'mon, you lazy scumbags! Slow us up! Lower the broadsail!" He grabbed an unfortunate rat by the scruff of his neck. "Why didn't you _tell_ me that we was goin' too fast!" he yelled at the rodent, his eyes bloodshot with insanity. Before the rat could answer, Varo slew him with a quick thrust of his scimitar. He then turned to the _Queen_, praying that they would not take advantage of the situation.

Roranwatched impassively as the _Eagle_ drew nearer. However, his mood immediately changed when he saw that the searat's grappling hooks couldn't hook on to his ship.

"Yes! They can't get us!" He then turned to his crew and began rapidly issuing orders. "Quickly, mates! Drop starboard anchor! Release port sail! Hold the tiller steady to port!" The crew followed his orders without question. They knew that their lives depended on it.

Roran leapt in the air for joy as his plan began to work. The _Diamond Queen_, listed heavily to port side, and then began turning to port. At first it was a slow, gradual turn. However, once the port broadsail caught the wind, the _Queen_ swung around like a top. It had soon turned 90 degrees. Roran ordered the starboard sail released, and the _Queen_ took off, away from the straggling _Gutted Eagle_.

Aboard the _Eagle_, Varo Huska was in a murderous temper. In his view, it was his dimwitted crew's fault that the _Queen_ had managed to give them the slip once more. He had locked himself in his cabin, and had told the crew that he would personally tear to pieces anybeast who disturbed him.

Varo gazed at the scroll that he had laid out on his table. Varo's father, Bane, had gained possession of it only after much toil and battle. Bane had been unable to make neither head nor tail of it. However, he could see that the scroll was valuable. So, he wisely kept it safe for many years. Bane had given the scroll to his only son, Varo, just before leaving by ship to sail to the West, where, it was said, there were settlements of goodbeasts who had never heard of war, just sitting there and waiting to be conquered. It was also said that those same settlements possessed vast amounts of treasure.

Varo studied the scroll, trying to make sense of it. On the top of the weathered parchment, a large, gleaming jewel was depicted. The fox captain stared greedily at the gem for a moment, before lowering his gaze to the puzzling part of the scroll. It was obviously a riddle, but as to what it meant, Varo had absolutely no idea. The enscription read:

_If you seek treasure, read on._

_The place where treasure lies is BELL BARED WAY,_

_Where the bell rings everyday._

_To help you with what I just said,_

_I give you ANTS DIE for 'instead'._

Below these words was a picture of a group of trees, with the words '_MOOSE SWORD FLOWS_' written next to them. Varo gaped at the sheet. It made no sense whatsoever! Who ever heard of a 'bell bared way'? And what was that nonsense about a 'moose sword flows'? The fox looked at the 4th line of the riddle. It said that it would help him… and yet, all it did was make him get more confused.

A knock on the door interrupted the captain's thoughts. Furiously, he grabbed his scimitar and flung open the door, ready to skewer the beast that had dared to disturb him. He saw his first-mate, Deadeye, cowering against the wall, his one good eye looking everywhere but in Varo's eyes. Before the fox could cut him open, however, Deadeye had begun to talk. It took Varo a moment to understand what the rat was saying, as he was quaking so much.

"S-sir – the _Eagle_, er – _Queen Gut_ – er _Diamond Eag _– _Queen Diamond_ – the s-ship isn't m-m-moving, s-sir!" he stuttered incoherently.

"Wot do you mean the ship isn't moving!" demanded Varo. He could see over the railing; they were definitely cruising.

"N-not us, cap'n," said Deadeye, gaining confidence as his superior lowered his weapon. "The _Diamond Queen_, cap'n. It looks like their mainmast has cracked. They're just riding the waves."

"Show me," the fox commanded. He followed Deadeye to the prow, where the rat pointed out the battered _Queen_. It certainly _did _look as if they had broken their mast. That was the only explanation. Varo began to smile. "And the storm is starting to die down. Perfect!"


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

Marc gazed out over the ramparts at Mossflower Woods. The late afternoon sun made the young mouse feel indolent and tired, and quite different from his usual, restless self. He watched as the butterflies drifted lazily from blossom to blossom, and breathed in deep the smell of the woods - a rich, woody aroma, with hints of damp earth and an overtone of pine.

Marc was startled out of his respite by footsteps coming from the dusty path that wound its way past the abbey walls. He looked down to see two beasts, an otter and a squirrel, jauntily making their way down the path. The mouse hailed them, grinning.

"Ahoy there, Sprague! Heya, Kaelem! I take it you would like entry?"

Sprague looked up at Marc, the squirrel's grin equally wide. "Aye, we would! Especially if there's a bit of grub to be found inside this abbey!"

Marc dashed off down to the gates, calling behind him, "Hang on – I'll open the gates for you!" He jumped the last few steps and just barely avoided running into the hogwife Eilis.

"Now, now, Marc, where are you running off to in such a hurry?" she asked him kindly.

"To let in Sprague and Kaelem! They're both outside!" Marc ran off, leaving Eilis muttering to herself,

"Sprague and Kaelem? Dearie me, I'll have to tell Friar Leavitt to prepare food for a two more… actually, it's more like four more; the way those two eat, you'd think they'd survived a ten-season famine!" She bustled off to the kitchens to warn the friar.

Meanwhile, Marc had unbolted the main gates and allowed the otter and the squirrel to enter. Kaelem, the otter, looked around hopefully.

"Lunch wouldn't happen to still be on the tables, would it?" he inquired politely.

Marc laughed, "We finished lunch hours ago! Do you ever think of anything but food?"

"Well we're both pretty hungry, what with the traveling, having adventures and whatnot," explained Sprague.

"You great famine-fetchers!" Marc teased. "We're having dinner in an hour – why don't you go down to the kitchens and see if you can help out?"

Immediately the two travelers dashed off, all politeness forgotten. The mouse chuckled as he followed them in a leisurely manner.

Inside the kitchen, pandemonium reigned. Upon hearing that Sprague and Kaelem were going to be eating dinner at Redwall, Friar Leavitt had begun preparing food like mad. He and his helpers had been in the middle of putting together a large potato-squash-turnip pie when the aforementioned two had come to a screeching halt next to the fat friar.

"Evenin', friar. How can I be of assistance?" said the ever-polite Sprague, his paw straying towards a large bowl of meadowcream. The friar whacked him sharply with his ladle, only to turn and see Kaeleb snatching candied chestnuts from the countertop. He swung his ladle, but it was nimbly dodged by the spry otter, who pranced over to the piemakers and began offering his expert advice.

"Chaps an' chappesses, allow me to help you. You need to use at least _twice_ as much of every ingredient," he said grabbing a pail of chopped potatoes and handing to the mouse on his right. "Here, dump these in – that's the ticket; no need to be shy, now – add in just as much squash. Ahoy there, Friar, we needs some more dough over here; this here pie's overflowing."

Marc laughed so hard his sides hurt. Now Sprague was trying to help the friar make a woodland pudding. He alternatively scoffed ingredients and dodged the friar's ladle, all the while giving advice.

"You need more fresh pears in that mix, sir. It'll be too thin otherwise."

"I'll give you fresh pears… fresh pairs of bumps on your head!" The friar swung his ladle at Sprague, who leapt nimbly aside, and, snatching a slice of honeyed apple, continued with his instructions.

"Add a touch more honey to the bowl – oh, never mind, I'll do it. Yowch!" Friar Leavitt had finally managed to land a hit on the outrageous squirrel.

"Leave that honey be; I need it for the apple crumble!" he demanded, snatching the honey jar back and placing it on a shelf. The squirrel, upon hearing about the apple crumble, immediately began spewing apologies.

"Well, chap, why didn't ya say so? Why, I never would've filched the honey if'n I'd known that a crumble was depending on it! By the way, I'm _excellent_ at making crumbles – perhaps you should let _me_ make it…"

The friar was saved from having to answer by the appearance of a large badgermum in the doorway. "What's all the arguing down here about?" She then spied Kaelem and Sprague, who looked like dibbuns caught in the act of stealing a pie. "Why if it isn't you two little rascals! I should've known." She turned to the friar. "Are these two ruffians bothering you?" she asked in mock-severity.

The friar scowled at the offenders, and replied, "Yes indeed. Quite a bit actually, Mother Alda. Could you please take them out of my fur – otherwise I shan't be able to finish dinner."

Upon hearing those words, however, the squirrel and the otter dashed from the room, yelling, "We won't bother you no more, Friar! Finish dinner quick now!"

Dinner was a joyful affair. The friar and his helpers brought in dish after steaming dish of delicious foods – woodland salads, pasties, pies, leek and potato soup, and hot, oven baked bread. There were three separate types of cheeses, and Gardo, the resident cellarhog, had rolled in some of his best drinks – October ale, elderberry wine, and sparkling dandelion cordial, a great favorite of the dibbuns.

The good-natured banter around the table somehow led to a friendly argument between Kaelem and the mole Thurmull.

"Are you saying that you think you could eat more than I could, matey?" asked the otter indignantly.

"That'ns not wot I'as a'sayin, but I a'wager that I'm could do it, bo hurr!" replied the mole, laying down his fork and facing Kaelem.

"Well, then, matey… let's have a face off! C'mon, let's go!" The otter stood up and addressed the hall. "Mates, Thurmull here thinks that he can out-eat me! Let's have ourselves a contest!"

Immediately the contestant's table was cleared away. A server brought out a stack of potato pasties and pies, declaring, "Whomever eats the most wins!" With loud cheers, the contest began. Thurmull began shoveling down pies like there was no tomorrow. Sprague looked at the mole and remarked to his pal,

"Wow, Thurmull can really eat! You'd best get started, mate!" He looked down to see Kaelem tossing everything within reach into his mouth. When it was too full to fit any more food, the otter began the slow process of chewing up the massive bulge of food in between his cheeks. He swallowed, and immediately drank down an entire flask of October ale.

The contest continued for another five minutes or so, until both contestants were so full that the most they could do was to lie back in their chairs with their mouths open and groan. Sprague counted the empty platters, and pronounced that the two beasts had consumed the same amount of scoff. This pronouncement was greeted with cheers and laughter, followed by a wish for Sprague to entertain them. He obliged and, performing a somersault, began to sing.

_If I had a log for a son,_

_I'd say, 'well I'd rather have none.'_

_And I'd pray, and I'd say, and I'd dance all day,_

_Just to play with a big grey sleigh!_

_If I had a log for my food,_

_I'd say that it was rather rude._

_And I'd pray, and I'd say, and I'd dance all day,_

_Just to play with a big grey sleigh!_

_Oh!_

_Apple pies and big fruit flies,_

_And damson cream and silent streams,_

_With a giant cherry on top!_

_If I had a log for my bed,_

_I think that I'd be filled with dread,_

_And I'd pray, and I'd say, and I'd dance all day,_

_Just to play with a big grey sleigh!_

_If I had a log for a house,_

_I'd call for a big strong mouse,_

_And I'd pray, and I'd say and I'd dance all day,_

_Just to play with a big grey sleigh!_

_Oh!_

_Apple pies and big fruit flies,_

_And damson cream and silent streams,_

_With a giant cherry on top!_

Sprague took a bow, which was greeted with wild cheers and applause. He returned to his seat and promptly began chowing down on meadowcream pudding.

Later that night, after much laughter and merriment, when the dibbuns had been put to bed and the fire was burning low in the hearth, Sprague and Kaelem related the curious find that they had made.

"We weren't far from the abbey, and we were anxious to get here, as we had run out of vittles," began Kaelem. Sprague interrupted him.

"When we came upon… a dead stoat."

Everybeast looked up, their interest caught.

"He looked like he had been injured some time ago, and had just then died," said Kaelem in a somber tone. "Needless to say, we didn't stick around. However, something that he was carrying intrigued us." Kaelem pulled out a sheet of paper. Everyone gathered around to look at it. It read thus:

_Make your way to the place of bells,_

_Away from the place of shells,_

_There you will find your next clue,_

_Under the thing that was made by you._

_Look behind the RAT TO RIP,_

_Only on the bottom-left tip._

_There you shall find your next clue,_

_Bringing AS TIMBERLAND closer to you._

There was silence after everyone had read the sheet. They were all pondering this mysterious riddle. Marc broke the silence.

"Well, it's obviously talking about Redwall," he said.

"How do you know?" asked Mother Alda quickly, giving Marc her full attention. The others followed suit.

"Well," began Marc, pointing at the first two lines, "It ways to go to the 'place of bells.' Where else but Redwall are there bells?" He let them ponder that for a moment before continuing. "Also, it says to go away from the 'place of shells,' which has to be the ocean. So, if you go away from the ocean, then you're going east, towards Redwall!"

"That's all well and good," said the friar, "but what about the rest of the riddle, about 'rat to rip' and 'as timberland'?"

"I think I may have figured out the rat to rip part," said the badgermum. "If you rearrange the letters in 'rat to rip,' you can get 'trio trap.' That might mean that it's a trap for three people!"

"You're right about one thing, Mother," said Kaelem excitedly, "but you're wrong about the other. The word _is_ supposed to be unscrambled. But it isn't _trio trap_. It's _portrait_!"

Everyone stared at each other, mouthing the same words. "Portrait of Martin the Warrior!"


	4. Chapter 4

**Author's Note:**

If it is unclear how the stoat managed to gain possession of the clues in the last chapter, that it because it is supposed to be. I am planning on making a prequel to this story, which will cover, not only how that stoat got the clue, but also how Varo Huska's father, Bane, managed to get the clue that is in the second chapter. And finally, no, I don't believe that the sword ever _was_ lost again after _Redwall_, but this is an alternate history, so that doesn't matter.

Chapter 4

The searats of the _Gutted Eagle _lined the rails as their ship approached the _Diamond Queen_. They outnumbered the mice of the _Queen _two to one, and were quite confident that success would be theirs. Captain Varo Huska made sure that his ship approached the _Queen_ quite slowly to prevent any further mishaps. After less than a minute, the two ships were parallel.

"Throw the grapples, me hearties!" roared the fox captain, smiling wickedly. "Prepare to booooooard!"

Aboard the _Queen_, Captain Roran encouraged his crew.

"C'mon mates! Use those oars to smack 'em off the rails when they pop up!" he turned to a group of mouse archers. "If the front line gets broken, you must fire everything you have into the leak to give our side time to regroup!"

The mice gripped their weapons tightly, some of them trembling, as grappling hooks thudded over the rail and were pulled taught. Immediately Roran was running alongside the railing, slicing through every rope that he reached. Suddenly, several arrows thudded into the wood behind the mouse captain. He threw himself to the ground, cursing, as more grappling hooks found their marks.

Aboard the _Gutted Eagle_, spirits were high. The rat archers were keeping the mice from chopping through the grapple lines. Varo Huska turned to his crew.

"On my call, buckoes!" he hollered, relishing his command. "One! Two! Three! Swiiiiiiing!" The searats leapt off their ship, crashing into the _Diamond Queen_'s side. They began to swiftly rappel up, under cover of archers.

"Get ready," whispered Roran to his crew. They could hear the rats clambering up the side of their ship. Suddenly, a rat's head popped up over the railing. Roran whacked him hard in the face with a wooden paddle. He turned and saw others following suit. However, the defenders were greatly outnumbered. They would soon be overrun.

Roran turned to his left and saw a mouse fall. Several vermin leapt over the side, howling with triumph. Roran turned to his archers.

"NOW!" he yelled urgently. A dozen arrows struck their targets. Roran leapt in the air, whooping for joy. He turned back to the rail, and received a hard bash in the face from a club-weilding searat. He fell to the deck, and blacked out.

When Roran came to, he was strapped to a chair in the captain's chamber. Varo Huska was sitting opposite him, staring at the mouse intently. Upon seeing that he was awake, the fox stood up and began to circle the merchant captain.

"So…" he began. Roran interrupted him.

"So what?" he spat. Varo smiled.

"So… I knew that I would win in the end… the more cunning beast always wins," he smirked at the mouse, who was struggling against his bonds.

"Why don't you just kill me and get it over with!" demanded Roran angrily.

"Oh, I won't kill you… yet," the fox said icily. He continued, "I still have a use for you, mouse." He pulled the riddle off of his desk with a flourish. Roran looked at it, interested.

"What do you want me to do with it?" asked Roran, who was still focusing on the riddle.

"What do you think?" asked Varo sarcastically. "Decipher it, of course!"

Roran sighed. "If I help you, you have to promise me that you won't harm my crew."

The fox kept his face blank as he replied, "Done. You have my word as a captain and a pirate that I shan't lay a paw on your precious crew."

"Well, _that's_ a relief," said the mouse under his breath. However, he consented, and, taking the sheet, began to think. He quickly saw the answer. However, he pretended to be having great difficulty, in order to scare the fox.

"Hmmm… this is a tough one. I mightn't be able to solve this," he said, glancing at Varo to see his reaction.

The fox stared back at him for a moment, and then said quietly, "Fine. I guess I'll have to kill your crew."

"No, wait," said Roran quickly, looking back down at the paper lest the fox read his eyes. "I think I have it. This riddle speaks of a place by the name of Redwall Abbey."

"How do you come to see that?" asked Varo doubtingly.

"Well, it says that giving _ants die_ for _instead_ helps you. _Ants die_ is simply _instead_ with the letters mixed up. So, _Bell Bared Way_ is simply _Redwall Abbey_ mixed up."

The fox looked impressed. "But how did you even get to start thinking about this _Redwall Abbey_?"

Roran explained. "Well, at the bottom of the page, it says _Moose Sword Flows_, with some trees. The trees made me think of forests, which led me to see that _Moose Sword Flows_ was actually _Mossflower Woods_, the place where Redwall Abbey is."

"Hmmm…" Bane studied the sheet, making sure that the anagrams worked. "Tell me about this 'Redwall Abbey,' mouse."

"I've never been there myself… but I hear that it's a place where all goodbeasts can live in peace and harmony, farming and living off of the fat of the la-" Roran was interrupted in his fantasy by Varo.

"Sounds very nice," he said dryly. "Now, where can I find this 'Redwall'?"

"It's in Mossflower Woods," began Roran. "Mossflower is to the east of here, south of the cliffs. Redwall shouldn't be too hard to find. Go east over land until you reach a path. If you follow that path, you'll eventually reach Redwall Abbey."

"You make it sound easy, mouse," said Varo skeptically. "Are there no pitfalls or traps that would stop me from reaching my destination?"

Roran considered for a moment before answering, "Just the woodlands, fox. They can be pretty deadly to a beast that doesn't know their way around in them."

The fox captain smiled. "I'm sure that won't be a problem."

Roran was getting nervous from looking at Varo's smile. He decided to act. "Now, fox, our bargain?"

Varo smirked and beckoned Roran to the doorway. He opened the door and booted the mouse out. Roran looked up to see his entire crew, lying slain on the deck. He whirled around to face the fox, his eyes blazing.

"You filthy scumbag! We had a deal!" he roared, leaping at the fox. Before he could lay a paw on the captain, however, two burly rats grabbed him. Roran struggled, still straining to get at the fox. Varo, however, was grinning triumphantly.

"I never broke our deal, mouse!" he shouted evilly. "I said that _I'd_ never lay a paw on your crew; I never said nothin' about my_ crew_ not touchin' 'em!" The fox turned to the two rats who were restraining Roran.

"Toss him overboard!" he said, grinning. They dragged a struggling Roran to the railing. Before they threw him off, he yelled back at the still-smiling Varo.

"I'll kill you one day, fox! I'll kill yooooooooooooou!" Roran's voice was cut abruptly to a halt as he hit the water; the _Gutted Eagle _quickly left him treading water in its wake.


End file.
